LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers would rather earn a World Series trophy on their own than accept any scraps from the Houston Astros or Boston Red Sox, the teams that beat them in 2017 and '18.Despite being eager to focus on the upcoming season, several Dodgers publicly for the first time expressed annoyance at the Astros for the sign-stealing system used during the 2017 season, when Houston beat them in seven games in the World Series.“They cheated and they got away with it,” utilityman Kiké Hernández said Saturday during the team's annual FanFest outside Dodger Stadium. “I don't think it hurts more now than it did three years ago when we lost the Series.”Hernández said the Dodgers “had our doubts” about the Astros in 2017.“Everybody warned us. A lot of people told us to worry about them,” Hernández said. “We just thought it was just rumors, but I guess not.”Two weeks ago, Major League Baseball released the findings of its investigation, which concluded the Astros used a center-field... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A group of Los Angeles Dodgers fans is making plans to vent its frustration at the Houston Astros about baseball's sign-stealing scandal.Houston and the Dodgers don't play each other during the upcoming regular season, so Pantone 294 is snapping up tickets to the Los Angeles Angels' home opener against the Astros on April 3 in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Times reported. The group regularly organizes trips to support the Dodgers on the road.“Spirits are great, man,” utilityman Kiké Hernández said Saturday about the fans. “Positive vibes.”Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner joined several of his teammates in expressing frustration at the Astros for stealing signs during the 2017 season, when Houston beat them in seven games in the World Series.“It sucks for the fans as well. It sucks for a lot of people,” Turner said during the team's annual FanFest at Dodger Stadium.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A group of Los Angeles Dodgers fans is making plans to vent its frustration at the Houston Astros about baseball's sign-stealing scandal.Houston and the Dodgers don't play each other during the upcoming regular season, so Pantone 294 is snapping up tickets to the Los Angeles Angels' home opener against the Astros on April 3 in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Times reported. The group regularly organizes trips to support the Dodgers on the road.“Spirits are great, man,” utilityman Kike Hernandez said Saturday about the fans. “Positive vibes.”Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner joined several of his teammates in expressing frustration at the Astros for stealing signs during the 2017 season, when Houston beat them in seven games in the World Series.“It sucks for the fans as well. It sucks for a lot of people,” Turner said during the team's annual FanFest at Dodger Stadium.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox and their long-frustrated fans say they're primed and pumped for the team to contend in 2020.The White Sox haven’t made the playoffs since 2008 and have endured seven straight losing seasons, but there was an optimistic buzz at the team's sold-out fan convention Saturday after a splashy offseason.“It hard not to be excited and feel that energy they’re giving us,” fourth-year manager Rick Renteria told the crowd. “Obviously, it’s our job to put it from paper to the field and accomplish those things you want us to accomplish.”The AL Central title — and more — may be within reach as the White Sox emerge from a rebuild and an offseason filled with free agent signings.“Our guys are telling our young players, 'Hey it’s time to go,’” Renteria said. “We don’t have time to mess around. We have a window of opportunity. Let’s take it. That’s where we’re at.”Renteria has been cautious with his words and patient with young players the past three seasons. Chicago... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers would rather earn a World Series trophy on their own than accept any scraps from the Houston Astros or Boston Red Sox, the teams that beat them in 2017 and '18.Despite being eager to focus on the upcoming season, several Dodgers publicly for the first time expressed annoyance at the Astros for the sign-stealing system used during the 2017 season, when Houston beat them in seven games in the World Series.“They cheated and they got away with it,” utilityman Kike Hernandez said Saturday during the team's annual FanFest outside Dodger Stadium. “I don't think it hurts more now than it did three years ago when we lost the Series.”Hernandez said the Dodgers “had our doubts” about the Astros in 2017.“Everybody warned us. A lot of people told us to worry about them,” Hernandez said. “We just thought it was just rumors, but I guess not.”Two weeks ago, Major League Baseball released the findings of its investigation, which concluded the Astros used a center-field... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Johan Camargo has a second chance to be the Atlanta Braves' starting third baseman.Camargo's renewed motivation to make the most of this opportunity comes after hard lessons learned in a demotion to the minors last season. His commitment shows with a renewed commitment to conditioning this offseason that has impressed his manager, Brian Snitker, and his teammates.“I want to be back, that's why,” Camargo said Saturday at the team's fan event at the newly renamed Truist Park.The Braves are looking for a new starter at third base after failing to re-sign Josh Donaldson, who landed a four-year deal with Minnesota.Atlanta filled Donaldson's vacated cleanup role by signing outfielder Marcell Ozuna to an $18 million, one-year deal. Camargo will compete with Austin Riley at third base this spring.The 26-year-old Camargo's edge is experience. He held the starting job most of the 2018 season, when he hit .272 with 19 homers and 76 RBIs.“He was great,” first baseman Freddie Freeman... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu has known nothing but losing since he joined the Chicago White Sox.Six years, six losing seasons. Six consistent performances by the Cuban slugger, and six empty Octobers.Perhaps more than anyone else, Abreu is ready for the other side of Chicago's long-running rebuilding plan.“We weren't born to lose, but we know that losing is part of the game," he said. “In this process, we were aware of the cost that we had to (pay) to get to this point now. I think we learned a lot from all those losses, from all those years. I think all those losses are going to make us better for this year and for the future, too."The White Sox are talking playoffs again after winning just 72 games in 2019. Abreu is a big reason why, but it goes way beyond the first baseman's AL-leading 123 RBIs last season.Abreu's sterling reputation around the game helped Chicago reel in a couple of high-profile free agents over the winter. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel paid tribute to Abreu's leadership... [More]

Washington Nationals “face of the franchise” Ryan Zimmerman agreed to terms on a $2 million contract for 2020 that includes the possibility of earning $3 million more in incentives.The parameters of the deal were described to The Associated Press on Friday by a person familiar with the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was still pending a physical exam.The incentives are based on the number of games the first baseman plays and how many plate appearances he gets.The person also said the 35-year-old Zimmerman was given a full no-trade clause.He already had gotten a $2 million buyout when the Nationals declined their $18 million option for next season.The new agreement was first reported by The Washington Post.When Zimmerman became a free agent, he figured he either would be back with the Nationals — or out of baseball.“I think I’ve made my intentions pretty clear,” Zimmerman said in December. “It’s either play some more here or play more golf.”He was the... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers didn't have any more to say regarding his role as a whistleblower.Fiers declined Friday to answer questions about revealing the sign-stealing scam that has engulfed Major League Baseball, instead saying he simply wanted to focus on the future. He spoke a day ahead of an A's fan event, his first public appearance since divulging the Houston Astros used electronics to illicitly steal signs from opposing catchers in 2017.“I don't want this to be a distraction to them. I want them to be ready for the season," Fiers said. “For me it's all about getting ready for the season, playing baseball and not being a distraction to this team.”Fiers said he would take “baseball questions." As for the cheating scam and its aftermath, “I'm not talking about that right now," he said.“We're moving forward," he reiterated several times without saying whether he expected to face scrutiny with his decision to disclose the Astros' cheating.Fiers told The... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers didn't have any more to say regarding his role as a whistleblower.Fiers declined Friday to answer questions about revealing the sign-stealing scam that has engulfed Major League Baseball, instead saying he simply wanted to focus on the future. He spoke a day ahead of an A's fan event, his first public appearance since divulging the Houston Astros used electronics to illicitly steal signs from opposing catchers in 2017.“I don't want this to be a distraction to them. I want them to be ready for the season," Fiers said. “For me it's all about getting ready for the season, playing baseball and not being a distraction to this team.”Fiers said he would take “baseball questions." As for the cheating scam and its aftermath, “I'm not talking about that right now," he said.“We're moving forward," he reiterated several times without saying whether he expected to face scrutiny with his decision to disclose the Astros' cheating.Fiers told The... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins set a major league record for home runs last season. They created a bigger buzz with their recent signing of star third baseman Josh Donaldson to a $92 million, four-year contract — the richest in club history for a free agent. Still, the defending AL Central champions carry with them a pressing question. Is their starting pitching going to be strong enough to not only help them get back to the postseason but play deeper into October this time?With spring training less than three weeks away, diminishing the likelihood of another acquisition, the Twins have publicly expressed confidence in their rotation for 2020.“As it stands right now, I feel really good about the group we have and the ability to build around that,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. He added: “We never say never to anything, but we feel like we have a lot of good guys in the mix.”Twins starters in 2019 ranked 11th in the majors in ERA (4.11) and sixth in innings... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers didn't have any more to say regarding his role as a whistle-blower.Fiers declined Friday to answer questions about revealing the sign-stealing scam that has engulfed Major League Baseball, instead saying he simply wanted to focus on the future. He spoke a day ahead of an A's fan event, his first public appearance since divulging the Houston Astros used electronics to illicitly steal signs from opposing catchers in 2017.“I don't want this to be a distraction to them, I want them to be ready for the season," Fiers said. “For me it's all about getting ready for the season, playing baseball and not being a distraction to this team.”Fiers said he would take “baseball questions." As for the cheating scam and its aftermath, “I'm not talking about that right now," he said.“We're moving forward," he reiterated several times without saying whether he expected to face scrutiny with his decision to disclose with the Astros' cheating.Fiers... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Dallas Keuchel has become the first member of the 2017 Houston Astros to offer a public apology for the team's sign-stealing scheme during their run to the World Series championship.Speaking Friday at the fan convention for the Chicago White Sox, who signed the left-hander to a $55.5 million, three-year contract in December, Keuchel said he felt what happened was blown out of proportion, but he was sorry.“I'm not going to go into specific detail, but during the course of the playoffs in ‘17, everybody was using multiple signs," Keuchel said, “I mean, for factual purposes, when there’s nobody on base, when in the history of major league baseball has there been multiple signs?“It's just what the state of baseball was at that point and time," the former AL Cy Young Award winner said. “Was it against the rules? Yes it was, and I personally am sorry for what's come about, the whole situation."An investigation by Major League Baseball found the Astros used the video feed from a... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Dallas Keuchel has become the first member of the 2017 Houston Astros to offer a public apology for the team's sign-stealing scheme during their run to the World Series championship.Speaking Friday at the fan convention for the Chicago White Sox, who signed the left-hander to a $55.5 million, three-year contract in December, Keuchel said he felt what happened was blown out of proportion, but he was sorry.“I'm not going to go into specific detail, but during the course of the playoffs in ‘17, everybody was using multiple signs," Keuchel said, “I mean, for factual purposes, when there’s nobody on base, when in the history of major league baseball has there been multiple signs?“It's just what the state of baseball was at that point and time," the former AL Cy Young Award winner said. “Was it against the rules? Yes it was, and I personally am sorry for what's come about, the whole situation."An investigation by Major League Baseball found the Astros used the video feed from a... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals signed catcher Matt Wieters to a contract for the 2020 season on Wednesday, bringing back the 33-year-old veteran to fill the same role behind Yadier Molina as last season.Wieters was a four-time All-Star with Baltimore before spending two seasons with Washington and then joining the Cardinals. He was a non-roster invitee who wound up starting 54 games and appearing in 67 last season, hitting .214 with 11 homers and 27 RBIs while helping St. Louis win the NL Central.The former fifth overall pick of the Orioles also showed off the defensive chops that won him a pair of Gold Gloves, throwing out 8 of 19 runners attempting to steal.Wieters is a career .250 hitter with 146 homers and 546 RBIs. He needs 11 more hits to reach 1,000 for his career.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals signed catcher Matt Wieters to a contract for the 2020 season on Wednesday, bringing back the 33-year-old veteran to fill the same role behind Yadier Molina as last season.Wieters was a four-time All-Star with Baltimore before spending two seasons with Washington and then joining the Cardinals. He was a non-roster invitee who wound up starting 54 games and appearing in 67 last season, hitting .214 with 11 homers and 27 RBIs while helping St. Louis win the NL Central.The former fifth overall pick of the Orioles also showed off the defensive chops that won him a pair of Gold Gloves, throwing out 8 of 19 runners attempting to steal.Wieters is a career .250 hitter with 146 homers and 546 RBIs. He needs 11 more hits to reach 1,000 for his career.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

AJ Hinch, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltrán lost their jobs in the wake of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scam, leaving three teams without managers three weeks before the start of spring training.On and off the field, the fallout from one of the biggest scandals in Major League Baseball history is bound to carry over. A look at what's on deck for the Astros and MLB:THE FIERS FACTORWhistleblower or whiner? Fact is, when A's pitcher Mike Fiers went public, MLB was forced to act. If he speaks anonymously, most likely his comments get whisked into the whispers bin.Fiers won't have to bat against the Astros, and it'd be too obvious to bunt up the first base line and try to run him over. Will Houston hoot and holler at its ex-teammate? We won't need to wait long to see if there's any ill will — the Astros' first road game of the season is at Oakland on March 30, the start of a three-game series. Count on those Athletics fans in the outfield bleachers at the Coliseum to bang their drums loudly... [More]

AJ Hinch, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltrán lost their jobs in the wake of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scam, leaving three teams without managers three weeks before the start of spring training.On and off the field, the fallout from one of the biggest scandals in Major League Baseball history is bound to carry over. A look at what's on deck for the Astros and MLB:THE FIERS FACTORWhistleblower or whiner? Fact is, when A's pitcher Mike Fiers went public, MLB was forced to act. If he speaks anonymously, most likely his comments get whisked into the whispers bin.Fiers won't have to bat against the Astros, and it'd be too obvious to bunt up the first base line and try to run him over. Will Houston hoot and holler at its ex-teammate? We won't need to wait long to see if there's any ill will — the Astros' first road game of the season is at Oakland on March 30, the start of a three-game series. Count on those Athletics fans in the outfield bleachers at the Coliseum to bang their drums loudly... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — This was not what Matt Carpenter or the St. Louis Cardinals envisioned when he signed a new contract.Because when the three-time All-Star third baseman wasn't hurt last season, he wasn't hitting."I certainly was candid with our front office and our coaching staff at the end of the year," Carpenter said Monday. "I just wanted to apologize. I felt like I'd let them down. I was really hard on myself the way that I played. I was hopeful that they still had faith in me. We had some real good conversations.”Coming off a career-high 36 home runs in 2018 that made him an MVP candidate, Carpenter signed a $39 million, two-year deal on April 19 that included a no-trade clause.But he wasn't able to reverse a slow start. He was hitting .216 with 10 home runs when he was put on the injured list with a lower back strain July 2. Carpenter was activated on July 11, placed back on the IL after fouling a ball off his foot and was out until early August.Carpenter finished hitting just .226... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Pete Rose was taking a break from signing autographs at the MGM Grand hotel when asked a question he’s uniquely qualified to address.What’s worse, betting on baseball or cheating at baseball?“I don’t know,’’ Rose tells The Associated Press. “All I know is I’ve been suspended for 30 years now. I don’t know anybody that’s been suspended for 30 years."It’s a fair point, especially when compared to the punishments handed out so far in the worst scandal to hit baseball since the steroid era. What Rose did was wrong — according to baseball rules — but there’s still a lot of people who believe he should be adding a Hall of Fame designation when he signs memorabilia in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas.Still, 30 years away from the game he was so great at seems like an awful long time, especially when Major League Baseball and other sports leagues have made their peace — and are doing business — with the bookies who post lines on their games.And face it. If you believe Rose on... [More]